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As companies realize how valuable high search engine rankings can
be for business, they often want to know how to develop their own
search engine optimization ( SEO )
capabilities. The answer depends on the approach that's desired:
train existing personnel, hire an outside consultant or build a
new team of employees.

But before deciding on an approach, it's important to understand
the different functions of an SEO team and the skills needed for
each part of the optimization process. A good SEO team requires
all of the following:

Project management: At least one person should
develop measurable SEO goals, delegate tasks and follow up to
be sure objectives are being achieved.

Technical SEO and data analysis: Any SEO
project requires data analysis in the form of keyword research,
traffic measurement and goal evaluation. Someone should be able
to draw conclusions from the data your SEO efforts
produce.

Content creation: In many cases, SEO
activities require large amounts of new content in the form of
articles, infographics and other images. So a creative mind is
a must on your SEO team.

Link building: Because back links can play a
tremendous role in your website's rankings, SEO teams should
have at least one person who will pursue link-building
opportunities and solicit back links.

Web development: In addition to back links, a
number of other variables figure into SEO, including site
speed, internal linking and navigation, and content indexing.
You'll need someone who can modify your site according to the
latest SEO standards.

Here are the common ways you can add these skills to your
organization:

Train existing employees.
Depending on the size of your company, you may already have
employees with the necessary skills. For example, marketing or
advertising employees may be familiar with SEO principles, while
your IT staff may understand how to make necessary website
modifications.

Even if your employees are unfamiliar with SEO, they may have the
right skills and mindset to be trained to perform SEO tasks. An
accounting department employee, for example, may possess strong
data analysis skills, which could be translated to SEO
activities.

There are a number of free online tools available that
employees can use to learn SEO. For example, online SEO
communities SEOMoz and SEOBook offer free tutorials and
trainings. Employees who require a more directed, in-depth
approach might condsider the online training courses offered
by Moorpark, Calif.-based Bruce Clay Inc. (prices start at $495
per course) or the University of San Francisco (prices
vary).

Most paid training options are relatively inexpensive compared to
hiring a consultant or a full-time employee, but what you save in
cost will be traded for time spent. Even the most driven employee
can require several months to get up-to-speed on current SEO
practices, with those working on complex projects or large
websites needing even longer.

Retain an SEO consultant.
If you don't have employees with the right skills or the time to
take on more responsibilities, you might consider hiring an SEO
consultant. That way, you'll be able to launch your optimization
campaigns as quickly as possible, using the latest techniques.

Hiring an SEO consultant can be cheaper than recruiting new
employees to do the same thing. Consultants typically bill on a
per project basis, which allows you to purchase only as much of
their services as you need, and their independent contractor
status means you won't be responsible for payroll taxes.

The majority of SEO projects are billed on a "per project" basis
-- rather than "per hour" -- with average costs between $1,000
and $7,500, according to a survey conducted by SEOMoz of more than
600 SEO consultancies. Although this is no small investment,
hiring an SEO consultant could enable you to perform necessary
SEO tasks without the greater expenses associated with hiring
a new full-time employee.

Hire an SEO team.
If your SEO needs are extensive, the costs of hiring a consultant
can add up. If you anticipate needing a substantial amount of SEO
work over a long period of time, it may be more cost-effective to
bring in full-time or part-time employees with the specific
skills you need. They can devote their full energy and time to
your SEO tasks.

On average, in-house SEO workers typically earn between $45,000
to $100,000 per year in salary, depending on the specific roles
they fill and their experience within the industry. To find
in-house workers for your SEO team, you can try searching
SEO Jobs, SEO Jobs Finder and the SEO Consultant Directory.

If you anticipate needing a substantial amount of SEO work over a
long period of time, bringing in skilled employees with the
specific talents described above may be the most cost-effective
way to build your own SEO team.